ALCATRAZZ are happy to announce that the very long dispute with former lead vocalist Graham Bonnet has come to an end. The United States Trademark Trial & Appeals Board have today ruled in the favor of the original founding members of the band Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea, and not in favor of departed vocalist Graham Bonnet. There is, and will be, only one band called “Alcatrazz”.
The band comments:
“Graham quit the band in 2020, leaving us on the eve of our 2020 album release “Born Innocent”… he has stated this clearly in many interviews since then, while we have continued with significant touring and album releases, and are now working on our next studio album for BraveWords Records, we are delighted that the courts have recognized this unfortunate episode for what it was, and is, and thus, Alcatrazz is now a registered trademark and we move forward with the utmost confidence and dedication to making more Alcatrazz Heavy Metal music… this is now our third album since Graham’s departure so this is all well and truly behind us”
The band and Bonnet had been engaged in a public and heated dispute over the Alcatrazz band name since 2021, with the remaining members revealing that Graham’s excessive drinking and significant lip-synching during live performances had taken a huge toll on the bands brand and reputation.
“We are putting all that behind us now, we wish Graham well and we know via various mutual contacts that he wishes the same for us”.
“He is happy doing what he is doing, and we are happy continuing on our path”
BraveWords Records recently released the re-record of “Island In The Sun (Re-Opened 2025)” by Alcatrazz. The single is available on all digital services.
Alcatrazz “Island In The Sun (Re-Opened 2025)” video: https://youtu.be/l2vuoTr3uU4
Stream or Purchase Alcatrazz “Island In The Sun (Re-Opened 2025)”: https://smarturl.it/islandsun2025
Alcatrazz hit the road in Europe later this year with Girlschool.
GIRLSCHOOL + ALCATRAZZ
11/14 Sweden, Sala, Rockland
11/15 Sweden, Stockholm, Rock At Sea Cruise
11/18 Finland, Turku, Nirvana + Daze Dolls
11/19 Finland, Helsinki, On The Rocks
11/20 Finland, Tampere, Tavara-asema
11/21 Finland, Nakkila, Verstas
11/22 Finland, Kouvola, House Of Rock
GIRLSCHOOL + ALCATRAZZ + DAVID REECE’s BANGALORE CHOIR
11/25 Belgium, Kortjik, DVG Club
11/27 Germany, Kassel, Goldgrube
11/28 Germany, Passau, Zauberberg
11/29 Austria, Steyr, Kulturverein Röda
12/02 Czechia, Olomouc, Bounty Rock Cafe
12/05 Germany, Selb, Rockclub Nordbayern
12/06 Germany, Mörlenbach/Weiher, Live Music Hall
12/07 Germany, Dortmund, Musiktheater Piano
Tickets: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/57544-alcatrazz
Giles Lavery – Vocals
Joe Stump – Guitar
Jimmy Waldo – Keys
Gary Shea – Bass
Mark Benquechea – Drums
Track produced by Giles Lavery & Jimmy Waldo
Track mixed by Andy Haller @ http://www.andyhaller.com
https://www.alcatrazzofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alcatrazzband/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnLCCQe68LpSPWIwm-Dx14w
https://twitter.com/AlcatrazzReal
https://www.instagram.com/alcatrazz_official/
https://www.bandsintown.com/a/57544-alcatrazz
About ALCATRAZZ:
Alcatrazz, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, has been as well known for the legendary players and singers who have passed throughout the bands ranks as much as they have for their music.
Formed originally by the trio of Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea (both fresh from late 70’s hitmakers New England and the short lived band Warrior featuring a pre-Kiss Vinnie Vincent) along with vocalist Graham Bonnet (himself with impressive credentials having been a then recent member of Rainbow and the Michael Schenker Group) the band set about completing the line up with drummer Jan Uvena (formerly of Alice Cooper) and a then very young Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitarist who had quickly made a name for himself upon arriving in the USA in the early 80s. The band issued their now classic debut “No Parole From Rock N Roll” album (1983) which was met with universal critical acclaim. Yngwie was soon to depart in favor of Steve Vai just in time for the bands second album “Disturbing The Peace” (1985).
The bands mission has always been a not necessarily stable line-up, but of an evolving union of established performers all forming a “supergroup” of sorts, one with perhaps more guitar fire-power than many, but definitely also with the songs to back it up.
Vocalist Doogie White (himself also formerly of Rainbow and Michael Schenker) served a successful two album stint with the band, while the “shred-lord” himself…the acclaimed Joe Stump (also a very established solo artist and a Berklee college professor) has now been the bands longest serving guitarist, with this year now making his 6th continuing year as a member of the band.
Longtime Graham Bonnet and Alcatrazz collaborator, producer, songwriter and vocalist Giles Lavery is now the man behind the microphone, having proved he was an inspired choice on two recent U.S. tours — having worked with the band in numerous other creative capacities since 2017 the band feel it was a logical move, but also one chosen on merit. Giles can be heard on the recent BraveWords Records release, Jack Starr’s “Out Of The Darkness Part II” as well as his studio and live work with U.S. metal legends Warlord, a band who feature non-other than Mark Zonder on drums…himself a former member of the Graham Bonnet Band, Fates Warning, and worth noting here… as he is also currently leading the band A-Z who feature none other than Alcatrazz main man keyboardist Jimmy Waldo! confused yet? don’t be, as all of this proves that there is a firm but perhaps overlooked consistency and lineage to what on the surface may seem like an ever evolving band personnel.
Indeed Jimmy Waldo continues to be the heart and soul of Alcatrazz… as aside from being the bands talented keyboardist, he has been the one who would, over the bands career find himself at the centre of all band affairs and decision making, from booking the band in the early days, working closely with the bands various record labels, to making sure other members, at the height of 1980s rock n roll decadence were present and accounted for when it came time to get the work done…”i think i even drove the tour bus once or twice back then” says Waldo… in fact it was Jimmy himself who personally selected Steve Vai out of a number of other contenders for the guitarist position in 1984 when Yngwie Malmsteen chose to move on to his own distinguished solo career.. “alot of people have come and gone over the years” says Jimmy… “It’s kept it fresh and we are hardly the only band like that, we still have myself and Gary still holding down the frontline from that early era” Chris Impellitteri historically was one such player in line for the job, who may not have made it into the bands ranks back in 1984, but who in 2020 finally recorded with the band as a special guest on the successful “Born Innocent” album (co-produced by Giles and Jimmy).
Bassist Gary Shea, he who named the band and designed the bands logo no less… came up with the above-mentioned iconic album titles (lets also not forget “Live Sentence”) as noted above, has been flying the Alcatrazz flag with Jimmy for over 4 decades now and is looking forward to this next phase. Gary’s recently published book “No Bass, No Party” is also an essential read for those wanting to delve deeper into the Alcatrazz story!
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